Every marketer in today’s business world is vying for the attention of consumers in any way they can. At times, they go overboard, forgetting the basics of advertising.
Advertising is meant to communicate clearly what the brand stands for to its audience. It is as simple as that. Whenever clarity is compromised, advertising becomes forced. Marketing ideas that are designed purely to attract attention may backfire or result in wasted money.
Puma is a well-known brand, and its logo is almost etched in the minds of every sports enthusiast. Recently, the company signed PV Sindhu, one of India’s top sports icons, as its brand ambassador. Even a simple press conference with her would have generated sufficient word-of-mouth publicity, but the marketing team decided to take an ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ approach.
But, the idea they came up with was one that an established brand would think several times before executing—tampering with its own logo, and that too on its storefront signage.
The move went viral on the internet, and people certainly became aware of the brand ambassador. However, the campaign must have been expensive to execute, and what was the return? Just a tweaked store name that resulted in a word with no clear pronunciation--it made little sense when read. It was almost reminiscent of how some hotels in South India adopt misleading variations of well-known names like ‘Saravana Bhavan’ and ‘Arya Nivas’ in the hope of attracting customers.
And what was the ROI (return on investment) on such a significant investment? The MD of Puma India stated in an interview that “quantifying its tangible impact is challenging, but it has undoubtedly strengthened our brand position.” He also ‘proudly’ took responsibility for the idea, claiming that it was conceived and developed internally by their marketing team. Perhaps if they had consulted their branding agency, they would have received a more objective perspective.
There is a lesson here for small or medium-sized brands. Rebranding stores is an expensive endeavour, and if the change is only temporary, it is best to avoid such costly stunts simply to attract attention.
Will this ‘bold’ campaign generate more business? People will now be aware that PUMA is focusing more on badminton accessories, but the same result could have been achieved more effectively by creating a dedicated section in the store, with Sindhu involved in launching it. Perhaps even a sub-brand for badminton equipment in her name would have been a more strategic move. Several stakeholders at PUMA admitted in interviews that they were unsure of the campaign’s impact but were confident that people would take notice. A big brand like PUMA may have the financial muscle to spend on such extravagant marketing, even if the consumer impact is questionable. However, small or medium-sized brands risk losing both their money and their brand identity if they follow such an approach.
As someone who has worked in the advertising industry for more than 25 years, I am certain of one thing—the brand should always be bigger than the brand ambassador. Whenever brands have placed excessive emphasis on their ambassadors, they have suffered at some point. Many marketing heads fall into the trap of believing that their ambassadors are what drive business. Brand ambassadors may capture consumer attention, but business growth depends on the brand’s promise and its ability to deliver. There are countless examples of brands allowing their ambassadors to overshadow their marketing decisions, only to suffer in the long run.
Jain University, Kochi, is a new entrant in Kerala’s highly competitive education sector. Kerala is known for its high literacy rates and a strong demand for higher education. Even before its campus began operations, Jain University was aggressively marketing itself and making a strong impact as a preferred destination for higher education. Then came an ambitious large-scale event—the ‘Summit of the Future 2025’.
Given the scale of the event, with specialists from various fields worldwide expected to participate, the university sought to do something out of the ordinary. Their idea? Turning the front pages of every newspaper in Kerala into their advertising platform. These front pages featured imaginary news articles predicting events of 2050.
The campaign triggered a huge backlash from readers, who were annoyed by the advertisement and angry at the newspapers for allowing it. The internet exploded with complaints, as many readers initially believed these articles to be real news. Even the date was misleading—while the year stated was 2050, the day and month remained the same as the present. The small disclaimer was buried among the news items, and in today’s fast-paced world, people rarely read in full. One of the fake headlines even claimed that ‘all paper currency would be banned, and only digital transactions would be allowed,’ causing unnecessary panic. Some readers shared the information, believing it to be genuine.
When readers discovered that the campaign was a marketing stunt, they felt deceived by both the university and the newspapers. The very next day, Jain University had to issue an apology—on the same front page where their ‘brilliant’ marketing idea had run. Strangely, the newspapers did not issue an apology for misleading its readers.
Here’s a lesson for small or medium-sized brands—never waste money on campaigns that simply aim to ‘go viral’ or be the talk of the town. Advertising is about clarity. Consumers should not be confused or misled; they should be treated with honesty and respect if a brand wants to remain at the top of their minds. Simply attracting attention is not enough—how you attract that attention makes all the difference.
Everyone has ideas, but while implementing new marketing tactics, small or medium-sized enterprises must be cautious. If something goes wrong, their very survival could be at stake. The guiding principle for innovation should always be: instead of focusing on what the brand wants to say, think about how the customer wants to hear it. The consumer’s perception determines how effectively an idea will be received. Large brands with deep pockets can afford to experiment and fail, but smaller businesses do not have that luxury.
